Teens Are Leaving Facebook: This is Where They Are Going

Like many parents, Facebook is learning that raising teenagers is hard. On Wednesday evening during its 2013 fourth quarter earnings call Facebook’s Chief Financial Officer David Ebersman said teen usage of the social network decreased in the last quarter.

“We did see a decrease in daily users, specifically among younger teens,” Ebersman said, sending down the stock from the rise it saw after earnings were announced. “We wanted to share this with you now because we get a lot of questions about teens.”

Teens are also spending a lot of time looking at photos that disappear within 10 seconds. Snapchat is another teen mobile staple now. Again Snapchat doesn’t share stats on the age of its users but says 350 million photos or “Snaps” are sent every day across the network.

Also, the service became so popular with kids that the company released Snapkidz in June, an app that doesn’t actually let kids share photos but just doodle on them. Yeah, that’s certainly not what the teens are after.

Messaging Apps – Kik, WhatsApp

Teens are also creating their own social networks, much in the same way many did with AOL or AIM before there was Facebook. Using chat apps like Kik and WhatsApp many use the group messaging and other messaging features in this app to keep up with friends. According to WhatsApp, the service has over 300 million users.

Solis points out that teens lead different social lives than adults and that’s why some of these more instant or real-time messaging apps appeal to them. “The reality is that teens have every day social situations that adults don’t have. They have a real life social network every single day and for that they are using a lot of real time text related communication,” he said.

Others: Pheed, AskFm, Twitter

Other networks have also gained some steam with younger users. For instance, Pheed surged in popularity a few months ago because of the multimedia tools the service offered in comparison to Facebook and Twitter. It allows for status updates, but also quick video clips and photo filters similar to Instagram. Pheed’s CEO told ABC News in March it was seeing huge growth with the younger market.

Solis also mentioned AskFM as a popular teen hangout. This social network allows users to pose questions to one another and is similar in design to Reddit threads. According to Business Insider, half of the network’s 65 million users are under 18. But because of the anonymity of users, teens are said to be particularly harsh and mean.

And then, of course, there is Twitter. According to Piper Jaffray’s semi-annual teen market research report, Twitter overtook Facebook in terms of popularity with teens. Twenty six percent named Twitter as their “most important” social site, while only 23 percent said Facebook was most important, down from 42 percent the year before.

As Facebook is learning, with teens what’s in one day is out the next.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/teens-leaving-facebook/story?id=20739310

‘The Social Network’ Movie Review: Film About Facebook Thrills With Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake

I’ll admit it: I initially scoffed at the idea of a Facebook movie. How riveting could a film about a Web site whose features include a nagging “People You May Know” window and a game based on buying fake farm animals be?

Incredibly, it turns out. “The Social Network,” which premieres tonight at the New York Film Festival and opens nationwide Oct. 1, is an epic tour de force about the people behind the site that defines our time. There’s backstabbing and betrayal, there’s tragedy and triumph. There are heroes, there are villains. “The Social Network” is not simply a movie about a Web site. It is a movie about people and the great lengths to which they go in their quest for power.

Clips from The Social Network

Indeed, for much of “The Social Network,” that’s exactly what Zuckerberg is. After Albright dumps him, he flames her on his blog, then muses about making a site that compares girls to farm animals. (Ironic that Farmville is one of Facebook’s most popular applications, isn’t it?)

Later, demanding that his programmers shut out the outside world to further the future of Facebook, he verges on dictatorial, a Machiavelli for the Internet age. In Zuckerberg’s mind, the ends justify the means: Losing his girlfriend, enraging his classmates and alienating his best friend turned Facebook co-founder are all necessary steps to gaining power, the prize that Zuckerberg craves.

“The Social Network” isn’t all computers and coding. From http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/s/socinetw.htm a production standpoint, it’s sumptuous. Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor teamed with composer Atticus Ross to create a throbbing soundtrack that infuses drama into sequences that might otherwise be mundane.

The making of The Social Network

Attention to detail abounds. While Harvard’s campus might seem slightly more attractive in the film than in real life, “The Social Network” stays true to the tone of the school, down to a “Beat Cornell” proclamation written in snow on the back of a car.

Fincher has made sure there are plenty of pleasing characters to take in, like Justin Timberlake, who exudes sexy arrogance in his portrayal of Napster founder Sean Parker. The first time Timberlake comes on screen, he’s shirtless with a girl on top of him (of course).

But he’s more than meets the eye: Conniving and cloying, at times, Timberlake’s Parker is downright evil, willing to do and say anything to get on Facebook’s payroll.

“Look at my face and tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about,” Parker tells Zuckerberg at a nightclub, multi-colored lights contorting his face like a monster’s.

Then there’s Andrew Garfield, the soon-to-be Spider-Man who plays Eduardo Saverin, Facebook’s co-founder and Zuckerberg’s only friend. Garfield’s Saverin is a smart, sweet heartthrob, a could’ve-been, would’ve-been household name who gets steamrolled by Zuckerberg when his plans for Facebook outpace Saverin’s conceptions of what a social network can be. Garfield proves he can play a loyal confidant as well as he can a stabbed-in-the-back best friend: His fits of rage prompt the sort of fist-clenching usually reserved for thrillers.

But then, “The Social Network” is a thriller in its own way. It’s mind boggling to think that a Web site that was launched seven years ago now occupies the kind of status in society usually set aside for life staples like cars and microwaves. To some, Facebook is as essential as those necessities, if not more so.

In reality, the fake Mark Zuckerberg got his wish: power. And the movie that tells the story of how he obtained it is no less awe-inspiring.

Go to Oscar.com for Oscar coverage before, during and after the awards.

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/review-social-network-thrills-jesse-eisenberg-justin-timberlake/story?id=11714837

Windows 10 Is Here: What You Need to Know

Windows 10 is here — and for the first time in a while, there’s actual excitement about Microsoft’s operating system upgrade.

There’s a sharper new browser that puts Internet Explorer to shame, Cortana integration and an emphasis on a more productive experience in Windows. Windows 10 is so radically different that Microsoft even skipped over naming it Windows 9.

Users who haven’t already reserved a free upgrade in the Get Windows 10 app can still do so. Microsoft has the ambitious goal of rolling out the software to one billion users over the next few years.

Here’s a look at some of the new features users can expect:

Microsoft Edge

While Internet Explorer will still be there, Windows 10 also includes Microsoft’s newest browser, Edge, which makes it easy to write notes on a webpage and seamlessly share with friends.

The all-new Windows 10 browser that takes you beyond browsing to doing. One that is personal, responsive, and productive – for getting things done online.

Cortana Integration

You can now ask Cortana to find you that expense report from last July or searching for something online.

Xbox Streaming

No TV screen is needed for Xbox streaming, which lets gamers stream from the device to any PC or laptop running Windows 10.

Cortana in Windows 10 works across your day and your devices to help you get things done. By learning more over time, Cortana becomes more personal and useful to you.

Snap Screens

There’s nothing more annoying than having to toggle between two windows you’re trying to work out of at the same time. No more!

Users will be able to snap four apps to the same screen, meaning work just got that much http://www.costco.com/playstation.html easier.

Mobile-First, Cloud-First World

Windows for everyone!

When apps from the Windows store are opened, they’ll run the same way as desktop site mix de vendas apps — in a Window. They can easily be minimized, maximized, moved around and closed with just one click.

Microsoft debuted Windows 10 at an event, Sept. 30, 2014.

Multiple Desktops

Working on a slew of different projects? Create a desktop for each one.

Not only do we see this feature making it easier to focus on getting work done, but the best part — your working doesn’t have to be staring you down all the time. Let it live in its own desktop.

Task View

When you want to pull up that big project, it’s easy to do so.

A new button called “Task View” allows users to quickly switch between open files and new desktops they have created, making working in the operating system incredibly efficient.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/windows-10/story?id=32740435

PlayStation Network back up after a cyberattack

“PlayStation Network and some other gaming services were attacked over the holidays with artificially high levels of traffic designed to disrupt connectivity and online gameplay,” wrote Catherine Jensen, a vice president at Sony Entertainment, in an online post.

The site de ofertas relampagos FBI is investigating the outage, said agency spokeswoman Jenny Shearer.

Sony (SNE) said PSN for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PS Vita have been restored.

PSN connectivity has been spotty since initial outages on Christmas Eve.

By using the word “attack,” the company indicated the outage was not simply the result of increased network volume or issues with new consoles.

“If you received a PlayStation console over the holidays and have been unable to log onto the network, know that this problem is temporary and is not caused by your game console,” Jensen said.

Related: What we know about the massive Sony Pictures breach

A group of hackers who go by Lizard Squad claimed responsibility for the attack. CNNMoney can not independently verify their claims or identities.

The group claimed responsibility for a similar strike in August.

Sony’s PSN wasn’t the only gaming system outage. Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30)’s Xbox Live network also suffered connectivity issues, though the company said “we don’t share info on the root cause of specific issues” and did not blame a cyberattack.

–CNN’s Kevin Conlon contributed to this report.

CNNMoney () First published December 28, 2014: 10:18 AM ET

<a href=’http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/28/technology/security/psn-xbox-outage/index.html’>http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/28/technology/security/psn-xbox-outage/index.html

Sony unveils PlayStation 4 Pro

Called the PlayStation 4 Pro, the system will be capable of playing on 4K — or ultra-high resolution — and on HDR televisions. It’ll also be able to play 4K games.

PS4 Pro will cost $399 and hit stores on November 10.

“It’s for the hardcore gamer — or the one who’s invested in a high-definition [display],” PS4 Pro creator Mark Cerny told attendees during a press event in New York City.

Microsoft tackles China piracy with free upgrade to Windows 10 | Reuters

By Bill Rigby and Paul Carsten

| SEATTLE/BEIJING

SEATTLE/BEIJING Microsoft Corp is making its biggest push into the heavily pirated Chinese consumer computing market this summer by offering free upgrades to Windows 10 to all Windows users, regardless of whether they are running genuine copies of the software.

The move is an unprecedented attempt by Microsoft to get legitimate versions of its software onto machines of the hundreds of millions of Windows users in China. Recent studies show that three-quarters of all PC software is not properly licensed there.

Terry Myerson, who runs Microsoft’s operating systems https://account.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/ unit, announced the plan at the WinHEC technology conference in Shenzhen, China.

“We are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10,” he said in a telephone interview with Reuters. The plan is to “re-engage” with the hundreds of millions of users of Windows in China, he said, without elaboration.

Myerson said Windows 10 would be released globally sometime “this summer”. That is the first time Microsoft has put a time frame on the release, although it has been expected in autumn, based on Microsoft’s ofertas mix de vendas release history.

Microsoft said in January it would offer free upgrades to Windows 10 for users of Windows 7 or later in an attempt to hold onto users and make up for lost revenue by selling services such as Office over the Internet.

Microsoft is working with Lenovo Group Ltd, the world’s biggest PC maker, to help roll out Windows 10 in China to current Windows users, Myerson said.

It also is offering Windows 10 through security company Qihoo 360 Technology Co and Tencent Holdings Ltd, China’s biggest social networking company, which will build a Windows 10 mix de vendas ofertas app that will work on smartphones and PCs for its popular QQ gaming and messaging service. QQ has more than 800 million users.

Lenovo said in a statement that it will make phones running Windows software, available through China Mobile, sometime later this year.

Microsoft also said it is working with Chinese handset maker Xiaomi Technology Co Ltd [XTC.UL] – which generally uses a form of Google Inc’s Android on its devices – to offer some customers a test version of Windows 10 on their smartphones.”

(Reporting by Bill Rigby; Editing by Ken Wills)

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-microsoft-china-idUSKBN0ME06A20150318

Windows 10: Microsoft unveils new operating system

At its Redmond, Washington, headquarters on Wednesday, Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) detailed how its new operating system will work across desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones — oh, and it’s going to use holograms.

Microsoft understands that Windows 8 wasn’t well-received by customers, and most of its updates to Windows 10 reflect that. It offers a much more familiar experience to Windows 7 users who never made the jump to Windows 8. But it also brings some innovations to the PC that tablet and smartphone users have become accustomed to. And by adding holographic representations to Windows 10, Microsoft is hoping to take Windows to a world beyond screens.

“Today really is a monumental day for Windows,” said Terry Myerson, head of Microsoft’s operating systems unit. “Windows 10 is so much more than the latest version of Windows. Windows 10 changes the rules of the game.”

Like a smartphone or tablet upgrade, Microsoft’s new operating system will be available as a free update for anyone using Windows 8.1. That’s a big deal for Microsoft, which makes a tremendous amount of money on Windows sales.

Windows 10 is Microsoft’s first major operating system upgrade since Windows 8 was introduced in 2012. Windows runs on more http://www.ps3.com/ than 91% of the world’s computers, according to NetMarketShare.

Live blog: Get up-to-the-minute details about Windows 10

Holograms. By far the coolest part of Microsoft’s presentation was “Windows Holographic,” Microsoft’s attempt to immerse its customers into a computerized world. Windows 10 has been built to integrate holographic representations of its software. With the companion HoloLens glasses, Windows 10 users can interact with holograms all around them.

HoloLens comes with a holographic processing chip that understands your gestures, voice and where you’re looking. It can map the world around you and display holograms that appear to be in thin air or on objects that surround you.

With Windows 10’s HoloStudio app, Microsoft lets users create 3-D objects with their voices and gestures (like pinches and flicks) and then print them on a 3-D printer.

Cortana. Microsoft’s version of Siri will be part of Windows 10. By using voice commands, Cortana can show your notifications, stock information, sports news, and other functions typical of smartphone voice assistants.

But you can also say “Hey, Cortana, show me PowerPoint slides about the charity auction” or “show me photos from December,” and it will quickly run the search query.

No more Internet Explorer. Microsoft introduced a new, stripped-down browser that has been codenamed “Project Spartan.” The new browser will ship with Windows 10, and it will function similarly to Chrome and Firefox.

The Spartan browser supports pen interactions, so people can mark up websites with their fingers or styluses and share them. Wit also features a reading mode and Cortana integration.

Spartan will be built on a different software platform from IE and the two are not compatible. That means Microsoft will continue to also ship IE with Windows to ensure that corporate apps continue to function properly.

Related: Internet Explorer must die

Return of the Start menu. After being removed from Windows 8, Microsoft announced that the Start Menu will make a full comeback in Windows 10.

The new Windows 10 Start menu includes a new personalizable space for favorite apps, programs and websites. It can be viewed as a full-screen Windows 8-like display of tiles or a more familiar Windows 7-like drawer of apps.

Continuum. The biggest Windows 8 headache that Windows 10 is expected to cure is the way the operating system manages its separate “desktop” and “tablet” modes. At its event, Microsoft introduced a new Windows 10 design interface called “Continuum.”

Windows 10 sticks to desktop mode when it recognizes a mouse and keyboard and tablet mode when there is no keyboard and mouse. But hybrid devices, such as the Microsoft Surface, will be able to transition seamlessly between the two modes. Pull off the keyboard, and you’ll enter tablet mode. Snap the keyboard back on, and you’re back in desktop mode.

One Windows for all your devices. There are currently three different versions ofertas de produtos na internet of Windows: Windows 8.1, Windows RT for tablets and Windows Phone. Last year, CEO Satya Nadella said Microsoft planned to scaling back.

Windows RT and Windows Phone are just becoming Windows 10. Windows 10 phones will be able to live-sync with Windows 10 PCs, and the apps will function similarly across different devices. They’ll still be incompatible with most traditional Windows software, but they’ll be able to run all of the apps from the Microsoft store.

Pokemon Go eludes cloning attempts by big game studios: executives | Reuters

By Jeffrey Dastin

| SAN FRANCISCO

SAN FRANCISCO Top video game companies, caught off-guard by the runaway success of Pokemon Go, are wrestling with how to play catch-up to the augmented reality app that has become a worldwide phenomenon.

Nearly a dozen executives at companies from Sony Corp (6758.T) to Angry Birds-creator Rovio said Pokemon Go would be a tough act to follow, and some even said a challenge would not be worth it. Gamers should not expect the quick release of a rival app anytime soon, some said.

On mobile devices, players search for and capture cartoon characters from the Pokemon franchise – displayed in the real world, using the live view from a smartphone camera. Pokemon Go has been the most downloaded mobile game since its July release.

Executives said hundreds of game developers at their companies are playing to understand how it has captivated audiences.

“Today is not the right moment to release an (augmented reality) experience,” said Neil Young, chief executive of mobile game developer N3twork Inc and a former group general manager at Electronic Arts Inc (EA.O). “That moment is sort of reserved, I think, for Pokemon Go.”

Some executives said they would not copy the game because it was a fad driven by the Pokemon brand and that it lacked social features, such as letting players talk and collaborate on a hunt.

The success in getting players onto their feet was seen as brilliant but difficult to replicate, and the deft use of mapping technology also sets a high bar.

Pokemon Go developer Niantic Inc, spun off from Google Inc (GOOGL.O), had no comment.

Analysts calculate the game is on track to earn between $200 million and $500 million in revenue in one year. The higher figure would rank Pokemon Go in the top 20 grossing mobile games in history, said Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Securities.

“We’re just sort of scratching the surface of what we’re going to see” in augmented reality, said David Haddad, president of Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment (TWX.N). Warner Bros is in the early stages of developing augmented reality games but had no plans to announce a new title.

Zynga Inc (ZNGA.O) is still studying what to do in the space, Chief Executive Frank Gibeau said http://pokemongospot.com/ in an interview. “Pokemon has really shown new paths and new ways to grow that’s very exciting for customers, players, developers,” he said.

The Pokemon Company, partly owned by Nintendo Co Ltd (7974.T), is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Pokemon games and their menagerie, led by the rabbit-like Pikachu. It has generations of fans.

That brand power is tough to match, said Richard Marks, senior researcher at Sony Interactive Entertainment, comparing Pokemon Go to an augmented reality animal game for PlayStation Portable called Invizimals.

“Lizard No.3 or Lizard No.4; it doesn’t get you that excited. You need it to be Pikachu,” he said comparing the two games.

Copying a hit mobile game is an unofficial industry tradition. While a clone of Pokemon Go in China has been reported, big gaming studios typically take months longer to make a copy. In this case, rivals also lack the extensive location services expertise of Pokemon Go-developer Niantic, whose chief executive helped develop Google Earth.

However, some gaming executives do not believe Pokemon Go is the future of gaming. Mobile scavenger hunts require physical activity and could be a hard sell to most video game players.

“It’s not easy to get people off of their couches,” said Wilhelm Taht, executive vice president of games at Angry Birds-creator Rovio Entertainment Ltd. “There have been a lot of tries in this area before.”

Nintendo got people on their feet with its Wii console offering virtual tennis, for example, but players remained in front of their televisions.

The most sustainable games immerse people in a virtual world, said Walter Driver, chief executive of gaming company Scopely, which does not have plans to develop location-based games.

“We’re focused more on creating universes in your pocket that you can spend time in,” he said.

There is one area that offers a clear opportunity for rivals or for improvement in a new version of the game, industry Shopping MixdeVendas executives said. Some of the most popular games have united players in virtual teams, building camaraderie.

“The game needs to be more social… where you can have group goals and possibly chat when you hunt for a Pokemon,” said MySpace creator and now Oferta de Produtos CEO of mobile games studio SGN Games Inc, Chris DeWolfe.

(Additional reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru and Makiko Yamazaki in Tokyo; editing by Peter Henderson, Jonathan Weber and Bernard Orr)

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-nintendo-pokemon-rivals-idUSKCN10K0E1

Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions Tour Announces 30 New Locations and Dates Marking the Beginning of a World Tour

BELLEVUE, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Pokémon Company International and Princeton Entertainment announced

today 30 new locations and dates for the official Pokémon live

orchestral concert, Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions. After sold out

performances in Washington, D.C. and Pittsburgh, PA, and selling 5,000

tickets in Philadelphia, fans across the country will soon get the

opportunity to see and hear Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions in a

city near them. More information about the new locations, dates, and how

to purchase tickets can be found at Pokemon.com/symphony.

Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions is the must-see video game concert

of the year, giving fans and newcomers of all ages the chance to

experience the evolution of the Pokémon franchise like never before.

Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to meet up with friends of all ages

to catch, battle and trade Pokémon from your favorite games. All-new

orchestral arrangements and carefully timed visuals draw from recent and

classic Pokémon video games, including:

Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue

Pokémon Yellow

Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver

Pokémon Crystal

Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire

Pokémon Emerald

Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl

Pokémon Platinum

Pokémon Black and Pokémon White

Pokémon X and Pokémon Y

The upcoming North America tour includes a first set of dates http://www.ign.com/games/pokemon-go/android-20042698 presented

by Live Nation Entertainment in conjunction with Princeton

Entertainment. Performances will take place in some of the most

prestigious venues in the country, including Wolf Trap National Park for

the Performing Arts, the Theater at Madison Square Garden, The Chicago

Theatre and The Greek Theatre, among others. A European tour is

scheduled for spring 2016, with additional venue and location details

coming soon.

“Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions is a spectacular showcase of the

memorable music that has been a hallmark of the Pokémon franchise for

nearly 20 years,” said J.C. Smith, director of Consumer Marketing at The

Pokémon Company International. “The concert series serves as a thank you

to fans and an invitation to share our passion for Pokémon by reliving

some of our fondest memories with the brand. We look forward to seeing

fans of all ages enjoying this very special Pokémon orchestral event

together.”

The Pokémon Company has released a special Pokémon: Symphonic

Evolutions video, viewable at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/embed/OmC6Q9OacHg

Visit Pokemon.com/symphony for

more Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions news and information.

Visit Pokemon.com,

like the official Pokémon Facebook page at Facebook.com/Pokemon

and follow @Pokemon on

Twitter.

Current Tour Cities:

 

Baltimore, MD

 

 

 

5/1/2015

 

 

 

Joseph Meyerhoff Hall

New York, NY

6/6/2015

Theater at Madison Square Garden

Cincinnati, OH

6/12/2015

Riverbend Music Center

Cleveland, OH

6/13/2015

Blossom Music Center

Buffalo, NY

6/14/2015

Shea’s Performing Arts Center

Milwaukee, WI

6/19/2015

Riverside Theater

Chicago, IL

6/20/2015

Chicago Theatre

San Diego, CA

7/9/2015

Copley Symphony Hall

Los Angeles, CA

7/11/2015

The Greek Theatre

San Jose, CA

7/12/2015

City National Civic

Vienna, VA

7/18/2015

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts

Vancouver, BC

7/22/2015

The Orpheum

Houston, TX

7/25-26/2015

Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts

Holmdel, NJ

8/20/2015

PNC Bank Arts Center

Boston, MA

8/22/2015

Blue Hills Bank Pavilion

Toronto, ON

8/28/2015

Sony Centre for the Performing Arts

Montreal, QC

8/30/2015

Place Des Arts

Detroit, MI

9/11/2015

Fox Theatre

Indianapolis, IN

9/12/2015

Murat Theatre at Old National Centre

Seattle, WA

9/15/2015

Benaroya Hall

Portland, OR

9/17/2015

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

Mexico City, MX

10/23/2015

Auditorio Nacional

Monterrey, MX

10/25/2015

Monterrey Arena

Sydney, AU

11/20-21/2015

Sydney Opera House

Clearwater, FL

12/3/2015

Ruth Eckerd Hall

Orlando, FL

12/4/2015

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Pittsburgh, PA

1/24/2016

Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts

Grand Rapids, MI

2/5/2016

DeVos Performance Hall

 

About Pokémon

The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company

in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for

brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game,

the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon

website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the

most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more

information, visit www.pokemon.com.

About Princeton Entertainment

Princeton Entertainment has earned an international reputation as a

premier producer of concerts combining orchestras with popular recording

artists and other elements. Princeton’s productions have set the bar for

exciting, new, and creative performances with stars as varied as James

Taylor, Idina Menzel, Andrea Bocelli, Aretha Franklin, and Trey

Anastasio; its orchestra partners include the New York Philharmonic, The

Royal Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony,

Baltimore Symphony and its own American Festival Orchestra. Last year,

after signing and completing a touring agreement for The Legend of

Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, two of its key creators, Jeron

Moore and Chad Seiter, joined Princeton Entertainment. Pokémon:

Symphonic Evolutions is the first production from this exciting new

creative team. Current touring plans call for the production to reach

five continents.

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live

entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster,

Live Nation Concerts, Live Nation Media & Sponsorship and Artist Nation

Management. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150326005933/en/Pokmon-Symphonic-Evolutions-Tour-Announces-30-Locations

U.S. government, Apple take encryption case to court of public opinion | Reuters

Apple Inc on Monday urged the creation of a government panel on encryption, the latest salvo in a standoff over a locked iPhone linked to the San Bernardino shooting that has escalated into a public relations battle between the revered technology company and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook also sent a letter to employees Monday morning, making clear the company’s hardline stance refusing to make software to unlock the phone addresses broader issues, not just a single device linked to a grisly attack.

“This case is about much more than a single phone or a single investigation,” Cook said in the email to employees, seen by Reuters. “At stake is the data security of hundreds of millions of law-abiding people, and setting a dangerous precedent that threatens everyone’s civil liberties.”

But FBI Director James Comey, in an article published late Sunday on the national security legal blog Lawfare, asserted the case was not about setting a new legal precedent but rather about “victims and justice.”

“Fourteen people were slaughtered and many more had their lives and bodies ruined,” Comey wrote. “We owe them a thorough and professional investigation under law. That’s what this is.”

A federal judge last week ordered Apple to create new software and take others steps to retrieve data from the locked phone, used by Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the San Bernardino shooters, who was killed in a gun battle with police.

This move also received support from Microsoft Corp founder Bill Gates, who said technology companies should be forced to co-operate with law enforcement in terrorism investigations, the Financial Times reported late Monday. (on.ft.com/1UjDWgz)

“This is a specific case where the government is asking for access to information. They are not asking for some general thing, they are asking for a particular case,” Gates told the Financial Times.

Gates’ decision sets him apart from other Silicon Valley top executives, such as Facebook Inc chief Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter Inc founder Jack Dorsey and Google head Sundar Pichai, who have all backed Cook’s decision, the newspaper added.

The company is fighting the order, arguing that creating such a key will jeopardize the security of all iPhones. The company’s formal legal arguments are expected Friday.

The Justice Department’s maneuvers over the past week have prompted Apple supporters to suggest the case is as much about putting political pressure on Apple and influencing the broader policy debate on encryption as it is about getting data from Farook’s phone.

The Justice Department launched its unusually public campaign to force Apple’s hand by publicizing the court order itself, which normally would have been under seal, according to legal experts. Then, on Friday, the Justice Department filed additional court papers that repeated its legal arguments and criticized the company’s resistance as a “brand marketing strategy.” The government acknowledged that the Friday filing was “not legally necessary.”

Apple responded hours later by holding a conference call with reporters – a rare move by a generally reticent company that is accustomed to making news rather than reacting to it. That was followed early Monday by a public blog post and an internal email to employees arguing the company’s case.

Meanwhile, the government has actively solicited victims of the shooting to join its case against Apple.

Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, destroyed their personal phones before carrying out the Dec. 2 shooting rampage in San Bernardino, California, which killed 14 and wounded 22. Authorities believe the couple was inspired by the Islamic State. The phone at issue is an iPhone 5c issued to Farook by San Bernardino County in his role as a health inspector.

DIGITAL SECURITY COMMISSION The case has revived interest on Capitol Hill in pursuing legislation to address the problem of what law enforcement officials call “going dark” – where tight digital security prevents them from accessing the data of criminal suspects. The idea of setting up a commission – which may be a prelude to a broader legislative solution – is not new, although a political resolution of the data privacy and encryption debate has proven elusive for many years. A digital security commission comprising technology, business and law enforcement experts has been proposed by Democratic Senator Mark Warner and Republican Representative Michael McCaul, who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, to help break the impasse over encryption. The bipartisan pair is scheduled to unveil details of legislation that would create a panel http://www.htc.com/in/smartphones/ at a Washington event on Wednesday. Apple indicated it would work with a commission or panel of experts to discuss the matter further. “Apple would gladly participate in such an effort,” the company wrote in the Monday post on its website addressing questions about the case.(apple.co/1QthT10) The company could not be immediately reached for further comment. The Justice Department has pushed back on framing the dispute as an encryption issue, insisting that it is only trying to get past the lock screen on one phone. Apple has argued that while it is technically possible to bypass the security features of the iPhone by building a new operating system, such a move would Vendas Mix Produtos set a dangerous precedent. Bipartisan leaders of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee late Friday invited Apple’s Cook and FBI Director James Comey to testify at an upcoming hearing on encryption, though no date was set. Senators Richard Burr and Dianne Feinstein, the top Republican and Democrat of the Senate Intelligence Committee respectively, have long said they intend to introduce legislation that would force a company to be able to grant authorities access to a suspect’s data, though a bill has not yet materialized. Some victims of the attack will file a legal brief in support of the U.S. government’s attempt to force open to unlock the phone, a lawyer representing the victims told Reuters on Sunday.

(Reporting by Dustin Volz in Washington and Abhirup Roy, Supantha Mukherjee and Rishika Sadam in Bengaluru)

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-encryption-commission-idUSKCN0VV185